In a little under a month, Ohioans will be able to place legal sports bets through different platforms. Earlier this year, Ohio Casino Control Commission announced that January 1, 2023, is the day when all forms of gambling will be legalized in the state, including lottery, retail, and online sports betting.
However, while many top operators are preparing for this momentous occasion, some licensed sites may not be ready on day one. giants like BetMGM, DraftKings, and FanDuel are expected to be up and running on January 1st, but there may be a few holdouts in the early days of legalization.
Some Ohio Sports Betting Sites, Not Yet Ready
Ohio has, without a doubt, undertaken an ambitious venture to implement a universal launch of legal gambling – one of the largest expansions of such activity in US history. Ohio’s commissioner, Chair June Taylor, has emphasized just how intensive and thorough the eligibility process is for potential operators that wish to partake in the state’s soon-to-be-released activities.
With thousands of applications having been submitted by hopeful operators requesting a license to be eligible to participate in gambling activities, her team has certainly been hard at work with their due diligence as they head closer and closer to January 1st.
Commissioner Taylor had not stated which are likely to remain on the sidelines come launch time, yet she made it very clear that there is an extreme rigor associated with ensuring the necessary safety protocols are fulfilled before any green light may be given for applicants to participate. It appears Ohio’s sports gambling industry is set for quite the launch to come.
In addition, Taylor highlighted that a limited number of operators are expected to control the majority of the market.
“We also know that there are about five to seven operators that control 85% of the market. So I think we have to realize what the stats really are.”
Popular Sportsbooks Will Go Live
Taylor’s comments point to a near-term reality in which the more established players in the sports betting industry, like DraftKings, FanDuel, and BetMGM, will be ready to take bets when legal sports wagering goes live in Ohio on January 1, while lesser-known operators may face further delays. Companies such as Betr and Fanatics, who are still early in their journey of setting up legal betting operations, may have to wait a bit longer to join the fray.
The Ohio Casino Control Commission is expected to meet publicly on Wednesday and this could be the last time prior to kick-off at the beginning of next year. All eyes are on them to see if any further regulations or changes will come into effect.
